Pirates prevail after second slow start, sail to 5-0

Another slow first half didn’t derail the Port Washington High School football team on Friday at Kettle Moraine Lutheran’s homecoming game.

The Pirates outscored KML, 23-0, in the second half in a 29-10 win that keeps Port undefeated.

Port quarterback Jack Bunyan went 19-for-32 passing for 238 yards and three touchdowns. He leads the state with 1,943passing yards.

Kade Kintop had seven catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the state with 816 receiving yards.

Aedyn Brownmiller had seven catches for 73 yards. Kiya Sullivan caught three balls for 36 yards and a score. Mason Schwanz ran 12 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.

LeRoy Pinkston forced a fumble and ThiLar Goodman recovered it. Zeke Rico made an interception.

The book is out on how to slow the Pirates’ air-raid, no-huddle offense that likes to throw medium-to-deep passes. KML, like West Bend West during the week before, tried to slow the game down and keep the ball away from Port.

The Chargers took a 10-0 lead thanks to converting three fourth downs on a 19-play touchdown drive and kicking a field goal after recovering a short punt that bounced off a Pirates’ leg.

“We were a little undisciplined. It’s always that option game that presents a problem,” Port coach John Bunyan said.

Then the Pirates got going.

“We were confident. Sure enough, we started clicking and scoring at will,” Bunyan said. “It just took some time. It will go that way running the air raid. We can score in bunches, but the other team can hold onto the ball a little longer.”

KML’s defense was dropping nine players back and rushing two.

“We’ve seen a bunch of unique coverage defenses,” Bunyan said. “Teams are just not going to let us throw over the top.”

Port held KML to 119 rushing yards on 40 carries, an average of three yards per run. Jonah Kruse went 6-for-11 passing for 105 yards and an interception.

This was Port’s only game on grass of the season, and dew made the crowned field wet.

“You could see that dew. It was like a cloud over the field,” Bunyan said.

Port, 5-0, plays the second of three straight homecoming games on Friday, Oct. 2, at rival Grafton.

“Love it. We’re excited for the opportunity. We love that environment,” Bunyan said. “We want to compete at the highest level. It will be a good crowd, I know that. It’s their homecoming. And we’ll bring a good crowd too.”

Port’s homecoming game is on Friday, Oct. 9. The Pirates play Plymouth.

Grafton loses at West Bend West

A Grafton comeback attempt at West Bend West fell short in a 33-21 loss last Friday.

Jack Nelson ran 17 times for 101 yards and a score, and he caught a one-yard touchdown pass. Hunter Klippel went 15-for-28 passing for 155 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Parker Shaw caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.

Cooper Ehr had nine tackles, including two for loss, and Jason Grunwaldt had seven. Reed Schaefer booted a 49-yard punt.

Spartan Tayecin Jimmerson ran 27 times for 213 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Held went 7-for-11 passing for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

Glacier Trails Conference standings are: Port Washington and Plymouth, 4-0; Grafton and West Bend West, 3-1; KML and Nicolet, 1-3; and Kewaskum and West Bend East, 0-4.